DAVAO City prosecutor Nestor Ledesma said that they eye to petition for the transfer of venue of the trial of the cases filed against Maute patriarch and his companions.
Ledesma, in an interview Friday, June 16, said that they eye to file separate motion for continued detention in Regional Trial Court (RTC) Court Branch 10, and a separate petition for transfer of the venue of the hearing of cases to the Supreme Court.
"We are filing a formal motion to allow the continued detention of the four accused in camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan Taguig, of course, it will necessarily follow that we will file a petition for the transfer of the venue of trial," Ledesma said.
This development followed after Cayamora Maute, father of Omar and Abdullah, the leaders of the terrorist forces fighting government forces now in Marawi, and his companions were arrested in a checkpoint in Barangay Sirawan Toril, Davao City last June 6 and were immediately indicted for various charges on June 9.
The four were air lifted by security forces on June 8 to Camp Bagong Diwa due to high security risk if they stay in the city. Based on reports, state prosecutors found probable cause to indict Cayamora Maute for violation of Section 28 E (1) in relation to Sec (a) of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) and violation of Section 3. of the Presidential Decree 1866 as amended by Republic Act 9516 (Law on Explosives).
Indicted accomplices for the same offense are Benzar Ali Imam Tinago, Norjanah Maute Tinago and Kongan Alfonso Balawag. The three were also indicted for the violation of Section 1 (c) Presidential Decree 1829 (Obstruction of Justice) for harboring Maute. This is after authorities recovered .45 caliber with magazine loaded with six bullets, M67 fragmentation grenade. The respondents also failed to present license to carry seized firearms from the respondents on the day of the arrest.
Based on reports, the resolution read that the arrest of Maute is legal due to the standing warrants of Arrest issued by the RTC-11 of Malabang, Davao del Sur.
The arrest of the three respondents was also legal as they facilitated the escape of Maute, a wanted criminal. The two prosecutors cited that it is impossible that the three does not know that Cayamora as a wanted criminal after the latter’s picture was widely circulated and published.
Ledesma said that he did not interpose objection on the transfer of detainees since the matter of security. He added that the cases filed against the four are now in the sala of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 10 Retrina Fuentes.
The obstruction of justice charges filed against three accomplices were raffled to Municipal Trial Court in cities Branch 6. Ledesma said that he is coordinating with the Department of Justice for them to support for the filing of two different motions. (KVC)